This is going to be brief. I only wish to highlight a few aspects that may already be there, but that I feel are particularly important:
- More nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems requires that at least the agriculture and health sectors be connected and work together. This is already difficult enough, let’s start with these two. Actually, nutrition is at the interface of both sectors. More easily said than done, and it is more difficult at country level than at field level. Strategies to achieve this cooperation should be outlined. At this time, food security is the responsibility of agriculture and nutrition, of the health sector. Even in the health sector there is a cleavage: malnutrition (undernutrition) is handled by maternal and child health division, whereas very little is done relative to ‘overnutrition’: nutrition is so far poorly integrated into NCD programs of the health sectors. This is based on several years of experience in Africa. It may be different elsewhere.
- Minor crops and local food systems may require more emphasis for nutrition-enhancing and sustainable agriculture and food systems, as well as for sustainable diets.
- Nutrition concerns and objectives have to be integrated into agriculture, and FAO is doing a great job in this regard. More knowledge and emphasis on food systems should also be integrated into health and medicine endeavors.
- Much is said and written about policy for programmes and research. I find it quite appalling that so little attention is devoted to competent workforce in nutrition in order to link agriculture, food systems, and health.
Проф. Hélène Delisle